Wednesday, March 26, 2014

This picture was submitted to "Black & White Wednesday", an event created by Susanat "The Well-Seasoned Cook". This week it is hosted by Lynne at "Cafe Lynnylu" (click here in order to see who is hosting the next roundup).

Wednesday, March 19, 2014

If you are interested in getting the recipe for those delicious Swiss cookie bars, then head over there!

This picture was submitted to "Black & White Wednesday", an event created by Susanat "The Well-Seasoned Cook". This week it is hosted by Deepali Jain at "Lemon in Ginger" (click here in order to see who is hosting the next roundup).

Wednesday, March 12, 2014

This picture was taken by my late grandfather (Roy Robinson aka Pop) in 1982 or 1983 and was submitted to "Black & White Wednesday", an event created by Susanat "The Well-Seasoned Cook" and which is graciously hosted by her this week (click here in order to see who is hosting the next roundup).

Friday, March 7, 2014

I for one, completely believe in the notion of creativity being a thing that ebbs and flows, a tank that can fill up and run empty. If you are tapped out, putting your butt in the chair is a waste of time.Yep, I said it. Sometimes writing every day, no matter what, is not the best thing to do. In fact, I think it can be counterproductive. Attempting to force yourself, just putting down words for the sake of putting down words, even if it’s crap and will be edited later, can not only be a waste of time, but have a negative impact. When the mindset isn’t there, you’re better off doing things that will help refill that well of creativity.- J.N. Duncan

Sometimes when your genius has been hijacked by artist’s block, your brain is drained, your passion for creating has deserted you and you are desperately struggling to find inspiration, taking a break and letting things go is highly recommended. In such circumstances, forcing your burned-out self to be productive leads to a dead end and will only worsen your case as proficiency is volatile like fire and as imprevisible as a wild horse. It cannot be tamed, controlled or commanded.Creativity is not a bottomless pit and our resources are not endless. Hence, from time to time, we have to step away from it all in order to get our juices back and replenish our batteries; trying to start a car that has run out of gas is senseless and your efforts will be to no avail as long as you haven’t refuelled your vehicle. This is the reason why doing something completely unrelated areates our minds, offers us a different perspective, stimulates our imagination and helps us refill our creative tank.

One reason that people have artist’s block is that they do not respect the law of dormancy in nature. Trees don’t produce fruit all year long, constantly. They have a point where they go dormant. And when you are in a dormant period creatively, if you can arrange your life to do the technical tasks that don’t take creativity, you are essentially preparing for the spring when it will all blossom again.- Marshall Vandruff

You are NOT a failure, so there’s no need to panic, beat yourself up over your lack of brilliantness, let your current state depress you and feel guilty about procrastinating. Each of us has been there more than once and it’s perfectly normal to go though periods of fruitlessness now and again.

Brain overload?

In nature, there is a seasonality to everything and the same applies to you; one day, your enthusiasm is at its peak and the next it is dead. Consequently, it is primordial to banish stress as well as negative thought patterns since they are extremely nocive and destructive. Instead of ruminating and focusing on your inability to accomplish your tasks, you’d better relax, breath in and out, savour each moment of your time-out, treat yourself lovingly and accept that you are functioning at a slower pace. Letting your creativity go dormant for a while can only have a positive effect on your intellect and ameliorate your morose mood.

Of course, aside from unwinding and escaping your stiffly studio/workroom, caring for your health is important too as emotional, spiritual and physical unwellness can be a hindrance to fecund ingenuity. Thus never neglect your heart, soul and body and don’t forget that all three also need to be nurtured and “fed”, otherwise they’ll continue cramping your creativity.

Personally, I find that introspective and frivolous activities (contemplation, outdoor sports, reading, listening to music, visiting museums, travelling, socializing, partying, etc…) are the perfect remedy for my blockage as they stabilize me and break my routine, but there is no doubt that researching on the subject of your project, enrolling in workshops or finding a muse can also improve your situation drastically…

This is my two cents worth of advice, and you can take it or leave it. The thoughts and tips I have shared here with you are based on my latest experience with artist’s block, a crippling “illness” from which it is often difficult to recover as speedily as one desires.

Anyway, be reassured, I haven’t thrown the towel yet. The healing process has been activated and I’m fighting my demons with force and determination!

Meanwhile, here’s a recipe for the absolute best “Cinnamon Rolls” I have ever eaten. I hope you’ll enjoy these extremely soft, exquisitely lush and divinely boozy doughy treats as much as I did.

1. In an electric mixer (paddle attachment) and on medium-high speed, cream together the sugar, salt and butter. Whip in the egg and
vanilla extract until smooth. Then add the flour, yeast and milk. Mix on
low speed until the dough forms a ball. Switch to the dough
hook and increase the speed to medium, mixing for approximately 10 minutes, until the dough is silky and supple,
tacky but not sticky (you may have to add a little flour or water while mixing
to achieve this texture).

2. Lightly oil a large bowl and transfer the dough to the
bowl, rolling it around to coat it with oil. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap. Let rise at room temperature for approximately 2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.

3. Mist your working surface with spray oil and transfer the dough to the working surface.

4. Roll out the dough with a rolling pin, lightly dusting the top with flour
to keep it from sticking to the pin. Roll it into a rectangle about 1.6cm (2/3 inch)
thick and 35cm (14 inches) wide by 30cm (12 inches) long (don´t roll out the dough too thin, otherwise the
finished rolls will be tough and chewy rather than soft and plump).

5. Sprinkle
the cinnamon sugar over the surface of the dough and beginning at the 35cm (14 inches) end, roll the dough up into
a cigar-shaped log, creating a cinnamon-sugar spiral as you roll. With the seam
side down, cut the dough into 8 to 12 pieces, each about 3.8cm (3/4 inches) thick.

6. Line one sheet pan with baking parchment and place the
rolls approximately 1.5cm (1/2 inch) apart so that they aren´t touching, but are close enough to
one another.

7. Let the rolls proof at room temperature for 75 to 90 minutes, or until the pieces have grown
into one another and have nearly doubled in size (you may also retard the proofing by putting the cinnamon rolls in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, pulling the pan out of the
refrigerator 3 to 4 hours before baking, thus allowing the dough to proof).

8. Preheat the oven to 180° C (350° F) and position a baking rack in the middle of the oven.

9. Bake the cinnamon rolls for 20 to 30 minutes, or until golden brown.

10. Cool the rolls in the pan for about 10 minutes. Meanwhile mix the butter, confectioner's sugar and vanilla extract together, then add the Baileys 1
tablespoon at a time until the glaze reaches the desired consistency. Streak the icing across the tops, while the rolls are warm but not too
hot. Remove the rolls from the pans and place them on a cooling rack (wait for at
least 20 minutes before serving).

Remarks:
If Baileys is not your cup of tea, you can substitute it with any other alcohol and if you dislike vanilla extract, you can also replace it with the flavoring of your choice (lemon extract, orange extract, coffee powder, etc...). And in case you prefer plain icing, then make the glaze
without any flavorings (use milk instead of Baileys).Serving suggestions:Serve with milk, tea or coffee.

Wednesday, March 5, 2014

This picture was submitted to "Black & White Wednesday", an event created by Susanat "The Well-Seasoned Cook". It will be hosted on the 5th of March by Cinzia at "Cindystarblog"(click here in order to see who is hosting the next roundup).